Addiction Treatment Blog by Addiction Experts » Recovery
Repairing Relationships: Acceptance, Honesty, and Moving Forward
One of the gifts of sobriety is the ability to begin repairing relationships. Oftentimes, these relationships were rocky to begin with, and they were inevitably made worse during active addiction. Although moving forward in these interactions isn’t easy, it is possible to do so with the application of a few principles that I’ve been taught in treatment and programs. Acceptance, self-acceptance, and honesty have helped me start to rebuild relationships with my family and friends … Read entire article »
Filed under: Love and Relationships, Recovery
Our Daily Bread
Eternity is made up of an endless amount of todays. There is no yesterday or tomorrow… just today. The terms “just for today” or “one day at a time” may be clichés in AA, but the importance of today is one that I want to dive into. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says “we are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual … Read entire article »
Filed under: Recovery, Spirituality
Philip Seymour Hoffman Back on the Wagon
The well known actor Philip Seymour Hoffman recently completed a 10-day detox program following a relapse that started with prescription pills and escalated to heroin use. The star formerly had 23 years of sobriety, but what is most important is that he addressed his relapse before it was too bad and that he is clean and sober again. Hoffman checked into a detox facility following a yearlong relapse. He fell off of the wagon by abusing … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Celebrity News, Recovery
Bill W. and LSD: Taking a Trip, Not Taking a Trip
If you see the 12-steps as simply means to get sober, or find happiness, you’re going to be disappointed. Sobriety, obviously, is a vital factor, and happiness is a byproduct, but the purpose of the 12-steps is to bring about a spiritual experience, or awakening, inducing a psychic change pervasive enough that it ultimately works to diminish one’s obsession with self – the ego. Ego, as I am using it, is to represent that self-centered, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Recovery, Spirituality
“Happy, Joyous, and Free”
Three terms paramount in my sobriety are mentioned in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous on page 132-133. It states: “We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.” It goes on to say we can’t continue to live in the pit of tears, despair, and unhappiness we knew while drinking or using. Conversely, we must play and laugh whenever possible. “Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Alcohol and Drugs, Recovery
Coming back from a Relapse
Things were going fine – I was in a less structured sober living, in a state that I love, and doing well. In the blink of an eye, I was high, kicked out of the place I was staying, and back at square one-bewildered, angry, and scared. I walked back into the rooms of AA and NA – a newcomer, all over again. Standing up when they asked if there was anyone in their first 29 days … Read entire article »
Filed under: Recovery
Celebrities: They’re Just Like Us
As with anyone else, addiction affects celebrities differently. Some recover, others struggle to get it their whole lives. This disease kills indiscriminately; whether you are a glorified hip-hop star or a mother of four in the suburbs. Those who recover and give back to their communities – like Friends star Matthew Perry – are reaping the benefits of a life in sobriety. Others struggle through multiple treatment centers, multiple detoxes, and multiple relapses. Just ask Brooke … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Celebrity News, Latest News, Recovery, Substance Abuse, Treatment
Drugs and Jail – Drug Courts the Better Option
The drugs and jail policy in America has been a subject of debate since the 1980s when the war on drugs really took effect. In recent years, drug courts have begun to take root instead of criminal court, thanks to Obama’s policy of using drug courts for non-violent drug offenders rather than the traditional criminal proceedings that result in harsh jail time without any effective treatment for addiction. This approach cuts down on public cost, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Alcohol and Drugs, Recovery
Rob Lowe Celebrates 23 Years Sober
On May 10, 2013, actor Rob Lowe, star of NBC’s popular show, Parks and Recreation, celebrated a huge milestone and shared it with his 634,000 Twitter followers. “Celebrating 23 years sober tonight,” Lowe wrote. “It works if you work it.” Rob Lowe was once the talk of the town back in the late 1980’s, subsequent to a “first of its kind” sex tape scandal featuring the actor and a group of people, in which one of the girls in the group was later exposed to be only 16-years-old. The tape was leaked to the public and caused a media sensation, making Lowe fodder for the entertainment programs and tabloid magazines of the day. Trying to explain his “vulgar” actions, the then 22-year-old Lowe stated that he met the young girl at a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Celebrity News, Recovery
Recovery without God
A recent study performed by Harvard University’s McLean Hospital looking into the recovery process concludes that “faith in God positively influences treatment for individuals with psychiatric illness.” While the belief in a God, often euphemized as “Higher Power” in many mental health and addiction recovery communities, is promoted heavily especially in 12-step programs, it is not for everyone and recovery is possible without this approach. I prefer a more personalized approach based on self-empowerment and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Life, Recovery, Spirituality, Substance Abuse
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